A catheter is a hollow tube for insertion into a cavity, duct, or vessel to allow the passage of fluids or distend a passageway. The catheter includes a tube. During medical treatment it is frequently necessary to rely on a tube that is inserted into a part of the body to inject fluid into the body or drain away fluid or to keep a passage open. For example the tube may be a catheter used to evacuate fluid from a body cavity or organ such as the lungs, pleural cavity, bladder, stomach or chest but not limited thereto. Additionally a catheter can be used to force feed patients who are unable to swallow, or who must be fed continuously with a liquid nourishment substance. Providing the subject with a tube that promotes and allows the subject's natural swallow process to occur is important for comfort.
Some medications, such as those used in the treatment of duodenal ulcers or bleeding stomach ulcers must be introduced directly into the stomach continuously or at frequent intervals. Even if the patient is able to swallow, the schedule of medication necessitates consuming small amounts of medication at frequent intervals, thus preventing sleep and other activities.
In certain feeding situations, the tube is an indwelling oral-nasal gastric tube. These tubes allow food or medication to be administered when a patient is asleep or is unable to swallow. Such tubes are normally introduced through the nose or the mouth and pushed down through the esophagus into the stomach of the patient.
The most common complication which arises in the use of such tubes is necrosis due to tube pressure on the nares. Another common complication is regurgitation of acid peptic stomach contents into the esophagus. This happens because the stomach contents seep alongside the tube into the esophagus. In infants the presence of the tube increases upper airway resistance and predispose the infant to apnea or cessation of breathing. In premature infants the rigidity of the tube may cause indentation of the palate and gums with potential for speech impediment and impaired development of normal future dentition.
The reflux of stomach contents produces a severe esophagitis which can cause stricture or perforation of the esophagus. In order to feed premature infants, post-operative patients with compromised gastro intestinal function, seriously ill patients, or any other patients incapable of normal eating, a gastric feeding tube is usually passed through the nose and esophagus of the patient into the stomach. Since a patient must be fed several times each day, the tube is most generally left in place and the outer proximal end thereof sealed off when not in use. During intubation of a patient, it can be understood that the tubular object is pushed from a position outside the nose or mouth area to locate the distal end of the tube in the patients' stomach.